Ah, what a wild ride Piglet was to read; I felt like I was on the edge of my seat the entire time!

Piglet’s life seems to have all fallen into place: her career is taking off, her friends are sweet and loyal, and she is about to get married to lovely fiancé, Kit. But Kit reveals a secret just weeks before their wedding, which may derail everything Piglet knows.

This is such an unusual little book. While written almost entirely in dialogue and food descriptions, it works in a way I didn’t expect. Many of the characters are unlikeable yet somehow compelling. They are intensely human and undeniably chaotic in their decisions, especially Piglet, the central character in the story. The character study of Piglet is interesting to follow, even if you don’t quite like her. And the food descriptions !!! I never would have thought that making a croquembouche would bring such tension to a story. My only criticism is how Kit’s secret was woven throughout the story - I understand why Hazell may have written it this way, but it left me wanting more (“hungry” for more if I can put it that way hahaha).

Overall, I really enjoyed this book, and it was definitely like nothing I’ve ever read before. I hope you pick it up upon its release on February 27, 2024 🥰

Thank you NetGalley and Henry Holt & Company for allowing me to read a copy of this book in advance of its release!

Really enjoyed this one - couldn't put it down and inhaled it in two days. Seems like a typical story about a woman (nicknamed Piglet by her family) - a cookbook editor! - who is due to marry in 98 days - but so much more depth. Two weeks before the wedding, she finds out he betrayed her and this makes her very hungry and have a lot of feelings. There was a foreboding tone to the book that I really enjoyed which kept me racing ahead to see what would happen next. If more had been revealed about the betrayal, I would have given this 5 stars - I don't like having unanswered questions at the end - but I think the point was her reaction to the betrayal rather than the betrayal details. Grateful the publisher and to NetGalley for an advance copy.

Piglet was such a strong start to my 2024 reading! I absolutely adored this weird little slice of life. The food descriptions were gorgeous, the characters so dimensional in such a short period of time, and the dialogue so sharp. It's so impressive how much Hazell could get done in a two-week (essentially) span of narrative time. I fell in love with Piglet and her growing desire to figure out if she is who she is already supposed to be or if there is room to consume more. I cannot wait to recommend this to every person I meet!

days leading up to a wedding that reads like a horror movie...

thanks to netgalley and henry holt & co. for the arc!

this book had me seriously so stressed out. piglet is moving on up in the world - she's gotten out of her small town, escaped lower middle class with her fiancé and his well-off family, is successful at her job as a cookbook editor, throws lavish dinner parties for her closest friends.

then she is betrayed.

[spoilers]

i really loved the way we never actually got to find out what her husband did. we get vague references, pathetic groveling, and a main character that is spinning out of control. the way the author withholds this information from me had my mind racing with what he possibly could have done - and it made us really focus on not what he did, but how it affects piglet.

and piglet was such a fascinating protagonist. I kinda couldn't help but to absolutely hate her, but also empathize with her as well. the way she treated her parents who were actually pretty shitty to her throughout the novel and especially the way they treated her body/appetite, but i thought it had such a double edged sword with the way she actively looked down on them for being poor. throughout the book i was cringing the way she thought about them and the way their class status spoke about who they were, but also as someone who grew up incredibly poor, i understand the inherent shame that you feel as you grow up realizing how different you lived from everyone else. and that shame often goes on to blame the people who raised you.

also she was kinda of the worst friend in the world. I absolutely loved margot (slightly biased bc lesbian representation) and piglet was spiraling so out of control that her own life in ruins was all she could think about and how margot's life was changing would affect her, instead of being happy for her friend's new chapter. but again, I completely understand that fear of your friends outgrowing you, especially as it feels like their lives are perfect and yours is now in shambles.

the only thing that i found negative about the book was the binge eating aspect I thought could have been expanded on. It just didn't go far enough into chaos for me. i do love the idea of female hunger being something we are all supposed to suppress and what happens when we just embrace it, but i think this book was muddled down a bit by references to ED and only one or two scenes that really show piglet devouring food. it could have went way more extreme. (the most i think effective use of this was when she was trying on her wedding dress the day of, I wanted way more of that - it was so hard to read)

Lottie Hazell's debut PIGLET is impressive, the United States cover and title notwithstanding. Doesn't the cover look like a picture you would see on an Applebee's menu? Food covers are not necessarily what I gravitate to in my books. However, this is a memorable title and cover, so there's that.

Piglet, the main character, is known by her childhood nickname...still....as an adult in this day and age. We do hear her real name in the last few pages. Piglet's sister Franny, nicknamed the much more appealing Banana (at least compared to Piglet), doesn't eat. It was interesting to see the dynamic between the two sisters, and then you meet their parents. And then you feel like they all need individual and family therapy.

Piglet is engaged to Kit, and she works as a food editor. There is so much food in this book! I know the author loves food, but it got to be overwhelming. Some say there are so many food descriptions, and I disagree. The descriptions aren't mouth-watering; it's just a copious amount of "food dropping," it feels as if there are at least 2,000 food mentions in this book. I'm not exaggerating. And it's not a long book.

The novel starts with 98 days to Kit and Piglet's wedding. I liked being there at their dinner party with friends, and I found the friends' banter like a more tolerable version of Sally Rooney. Margot caught my eye with the way she was a friend to Piglet.

Kit reveals a secret two weeks before they get married, and Piglet reaches for her coping mechanism: eating. As a reader, I was intrigued to see if these two would still get married and how the run-up to the wedding would go.

Very propulsive. The food dropping was a little tedious to me, but I saw that it was serving a certain purpose.

This was an interesting one for me! The story was well written, and the author did an amazing job of building tension. I read it very quickly, but ultimately I think I wanted a little more from this. Still absolutely worth a read, and I'll be keeping an eye out for the author's future books as well!

Thanks for the ARC NetGalley!

I think this books topic just hit a bit too close to home for me. I went in wanting to like it but I only made it about 1/3 before I out down:. I have tried revisiting a few times and just can’t get into it, so I how sort don’t the I will be finishing it.

* I think there should be a trigger warning for those suffering from and eating disorder or have a destructive relationship with food.

I really liked this book. It had so much meaning underneath the surface. There’s a lot to dive into. The writing was so unique from anything else I’ve ever read. The story was laced in between descriptions of food. It ensnared all the senses and I swear I could almost taste and smell the food being described. It had me both salivating and at times never wanting to eat again which is a great representation of the Piglet, the MFC. She’s complicated, unlikable, but you also feel so bad for the way she sees herself and assumptions of how others must see her.

I think this story is a great lesson in lusting after a life that isn’t meant for you. It’s ok to dream big but when you’re never happy or satisfied with what you have it’s destructive to ourselves and those we love. The more Piglet wanted the more she spun out of control.

Thank you NetGalley for letting me read this book!

I got 11% into this book and realized it just wasn’t for me. I have been seeing it everywhere getting rave reviews so I know it’s a well received debut. Just because I couldn’t connect to this story and these characters doesn’t speak lowly of the author or the writing. It just isn’t for me.

A challenging read with almost zero likability among the main characters and absolutely beautiful prose about food, this one will be polarizing when it hits shelves. I liked the author's choice not to specify exactly how Piglet's fiance betrayed her; leaving that open to interpretation turns it into a little Rorschach test for the reader -- what would be bad enough to send you into an emotional spiral yet not bad enough to make you leave? Ultimately, this feels like a story about the myriad ways we stuff down our feelings, and the destruction that happens when there's just no more room inside us to keep stuffing things down. I'm not sure if I liked it, but I haven't been able to stop thinking about it since I finished it.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for the ARC of Piglet in exchange for my honest review.

Available Feb. 27th, 2024

Rating: 3.5

Possible spoilers:


A quick read, but I didn't really connect with any of the characters. I felt like the eating disorders presented with 2 of the characters could really have benefitted with more depth and explanation. I think it would've been really interesting to learn more about Franny and Piglet's upbringing, and how they each developed eating disorders. Both were just barely touched upon.

I also felt like Kit and PIglet's relationship seemed unlikely and strange. Both characters didn't really seem to know much about the other, yet they were getting married despite many red flags on both sides.

The author definitely made a choice not letting the reader know what Kit had actually confessed to, and while this works in keeping the reader wanting to finish the story, it seemed like she could've shared this at the end. Did he commit adultery, did he confess to being gay, was he a compulsive gambler? We'll never know.

Overall, a quick read that kept my interest, but lacked the depth I think this novel needed to be even better.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an ARC! This book is the perfect combination of female rage, beautiful descriptions of cooking and food, friendship and moments that make you physically recoil. I felt like I was going through the motions with the main character, even if they made me want to crawl under a blanket. I loved the writing style and that all the facts weren’t just laid out for the reader. This book is for anyone that loves a main character that is such a mess that you can’t look away and cooking.

Thank you Henry Holt for my free ARC of Piglet by Lottie Hazell — available Feb 27!

Read this if you:
🙀 are into reads that are so stressful, they're positively gripping
🥘 love everything about food and cooking
🫣 have ever lived through what felt like a waking nightmare

Piglet (yes, that's what everyone calls her) is living her dream life — until it becomes a nightmare. Suddenly, her ideal job, new home, and perfect fiancé are threatening to drown her, and she can't figure out how to move forward. As Piglet's wedding to Kit approaches, she starts to crack under the pressure, but she's doing what she can to get her life back on track.

Y'all, this book is tough to describe. I didn't actually read the synopsis before I started (that cover got me), so I had no clue where the story was headed, and I highly recommend that approach! Our girl Piglet is an absolute disaster, and it's really not her fault. This is one of those reads that is SO STRESSFUL to sit through, but you absolutely MUST know what happens next or you will burst. I devoured it. Piglet is such a sympathetic character, I loved her even though some of her decisions were WHACK, and I think the end was just perfection. I highly recommend it if you're into unique litfic reads and fabulous descriptions of a foodie wonderland!

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

A Well-Written Story Full of Unanswered Questions and Drama

SUMMARY
Piglet is a rising star in a London publishing house, where she works as a cookbook editor. She's also a talented cook with a handsome fiancé named Kit, who seems to have everything she could ask for. However, when Kit confesses a devastating betrayal just weeks before their wedding day, Piglet turns to food to soothe her broken heart. Despite the betrayal, she decides to go ahead with the wedding. But as the big day approaches, Piglet feels increasingly uneasy due to work pressures, family expectations, and her desire to bake her wedding cake. Her anxiety leads her to gorge on food. She is torn between what she thinks she wants and what she truly wants.

REVIEW
PIGLET, the novel, is well-written, well-organized, and a quick read. However, Piglet, the character, is a hot mess for several reasons. She is vulnerable and weak and repeatedly fails to take responsibility for her own happiness. Even when her friends and boss try to help her, she self-sabotages. I find reading books with such characters unsatisfying.

With Piglet’s character driving the narrative, the story is full of drama, but it leaves many unanswered questions. The author appears to be holding back the specific context of Kit's betrayal as a hook to keep readers interested. I was eager to know what Kit had done to trigger Piglet's reaction but was left wanting.

Another unanswered question is whether Piglet has an eating disorder. The book alludes to one incident as a child, but it's unclear whether she has one or not. Addressing this issue more directly would have been a great opportunity to raise awareness about the issue and perhaps even provide support for people suffering from eating disorders.

It's also perplexing why anyone, but particularly someone with an eating disorder, would allow themselves to be called Piglet. And the fact that her parents would call her that is unbelievable. We never even learn her given name till the end.

Thanks to Netgalley for an advance reading copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

Publisher Henry Holt
Published February 24, 2024
Review www.bluestockingreviews.com

While I think the story was very unique and interesting, I did find myself annoyed with the main character at times. It doesn’t mean the book was bad, just a slightly unlikable character. Overall, I enjoyed it!

Thank you Netgalley and publisher for the ARC!

This book has some of the most glorious, sensual food writing I have read in some time, and I could have read a hundred more pages of something like the first half of the novel. I do feel like it fell apart a bit in the second part - I felt that I struggled to understand Piglet’s behavior and there wasn’t enough history given to her relationship with her family to make the story make sense and make the reader invested. I did still enjoy the writing greatly, and I would be curious to read whatever this author does next.

there is really no other novel out there like this. character-driven contemporary fiction (my fav) but told primarily through descriptions of the cooking of lavish meals and internal dialogue.

the format of this novel was so interesting, we meet Piglet 98 days before her wedding to her dream man and dream life but 13 days before, her fiance tells her something that changes her plans. the entire novel felt like a ticking timebomb, counting down to what? so much was left to the reader including what her fiance tells her that disrupts her world.

a fun and approachable commentary on class, greed, gluttony, anorexia, infidelity, and more!

we watch as Piglet forces herself to fit in boxes (and dresses) that are designed for her but do not make her happy. her indifference towards everything comes to the seams as her craving for food outweighs her craving to conform to her new life.

will definitely be thinking about this for a long time.

thank you Netgalley for the ARC!

This book is going to be one of my favorites of 2024, that much I can guarantee. I literally couldn’t put it down and was up until after 3am on a Sunday night/Monday morning finishing it. Incredible.

I started reading Piglet by Lottie Hazell while I was on a forced fast for some medical tests. Oh my gosh it was torture! Hazell wrote so wonderfully about all the ingredients and all the amazing dishes that Piglet cooks and I was drooling just imagining it all. So many delectable descriptions of food in this book. But Piglet isn’t only a great cook. She is also a cookbook editor, engaged to Kit, living in a beautiful new house, and counting down to her wedding in a few short weeks. But everything is not what it seems…kind of like those beautiful food spreads you see in magazines, or maybe the sample dishes that restaurants display. They look beautiful from a distance but dig in with a fork and you may find things are not as tasty or fresh as you had imagined. In Piglet’s world though appearances are everything, until they aren’t.

Piglet has some interesting issues. How did she get that nickname, and is it any wonder she might have issues with food? Why does she feel a “creeping pity” for her working class Derby family when she compares them to Kit’s upper class parents. Why must she work so hard to create the perfect image of her relationship with Kit…a life that is “carefully built and so smugly shared”?

I didn’t really like many of the characters but I was compelled to keep reading. Piglet built this fairytale life around Kit, but when he makes a devastating confession two weeks before their wedding she must decide if she will go ahead and marry him to maintain the facade or break it off and come clean with herself, her friends and her family. The novel follows Piglet as she wrestles with this decision and the toll this takes on her mental and physical well being. It is quite a journey. We don’t get the answers to all the questions though and I do wish we had gotten a bit more information on some of them. All in all the story held my attention to the very end and I felt the conclusion was well done.

Thank you to NetGalley and Henry Hold and Co for the chance to read Piglet and this is my honest review.

This was one of my most anticipated reads of 2024 and I was honestly a little disappointed by it. It wasn’t really what I expected. Still an interesting read. Thanks for the advance copy!